An Unforgettable Christmas Story: The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler Review #SarahMorgenthaler @SourcebooksCasa

In The Christmas You Found Me, Sienna Naples opens her heart and home to a single father and his daughter, transforming a marriage of convenience into a memorable story of family and hope.

Summary:

Sienna Naples, deeply connected to her family’s Idaho land, faces a lonely Christmas after her parents’ passing and the end of a painful marriage. Her solitude is broken when single father Guy Maple and his four-year-old daughter, Emma, arrive in her life due to a prank ad. Guy, a Montana construction worker struggling financially, is desperate to secure Emma’s place on the kidney transplant list by showing he can afford her post-surgery medications. Driven by his love for Emma, he agrees to a marriage of convenience with Sienna. Despite knowing the marriage isn’t “real,” Sienna finds herself growing closer to both Guy and Emma, drawn to the joy and warmth they bring to her home. Yet, as her affection deepens, she fears the possibility of losing this newfound family and the love she never expected to find.

My Thoughts:

The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler is a holiday novel that lingers long after the last page, with a story as heartwarming as it is beautifully written. From the very start, Morgenthaler’s deep respect for the land that Sienna Naples calls home shines through. Sienna’s family has cared for their wild Idaho property for generations, though she recognizes that it rightfully belongs to the Indigenous people of the area. This respect, combined with the author’s vivid descriptions of the winter landscapes and Sienna’s tender relationship with the animals on her farm, immerses the reader in Sienna’s world and adds a thoughtful layer to the story. If you only read one holiday story this year, make it this one.

Sienna is a character shaped by both loss and resilience. Her mother is gone, and her father, though alive, has been moved to a care home due to dementia, which makes visits painful, as he often doesn’t recognize her. Additionally, she’s recently gone through a painful divorce, sacrificing much to keep her family’s land. The farm, though dear to her, is a place where she’s often reminded of all she’s lost.

It’s in this period of isolation that Guy Maple and his four-year-old daughter Emma enter her life. Guy arrives in Sienna’s world as a result of an ad that was meant to be a joke. However, he’s not laughing. Money is tight, and his young daughter is suffering from stage-five chronic kidney disease. Emma needs a transplant, and Guy’s struggle to prove he can afford her anti-rejection medications is jeopardising her place on the transplant list. What begins as a marriage of convenience quickly deepens into something more as Sienna steps in to help Emma through her own health insurance plan, which would ensure Emma gets the coverage she needs.

The relationships that unfold within this story are its beating heart. Morgenthaler doesn’t just build a romance; she crafts a family dynamic that’s tender and real. The bond that develops between Sienna and Emma is especially moving, and Guy’s devotion to his daughter is profoundly touching. In the book’s closing, Morgenthaler shares her own experience of loss—her husband’s death—a grief that left her questioning if she’d ever write again. This personal connection is deeply felt in the emotional depth and raw beauty of her storytelling.

Final Thoughts:

If you’re looking for a Christmas novel to savour this season, The Christmas You Found Me is an exceptional choice. Morgenthaler has created a story filled with warmth, hope, and unexpected connections—a reminder of the families we build, the resilience we find, and the love that appears when we least expect it.

Another Book I’ve Reviewed Written by Sarah Morgenthaler:

Mistletoe & Mr. Right